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Five months down in Sydney! Must say it’s starting to feel more and more like home here. Spring is around the corner, and days are getting longer and warmer. I’m learning to take one day at a time and be more patient with everything.

The last few weeks have been really good, especially the weekends. My sister visited us when she was in Australia for work a couple weeks ago. It was so nice to see her, spend time with her and enjoy Sydney. Here are some photos and stories from the last weeks. 🙂

Although we only had one full day off together, we made the most of it. In the morning we took a ferry into the city and had a brunch in Celsius Coffee Co (again). Then we just walked around Kirribilli and Milsons Point – the north side of Sydney harbour. After crossing the bridge to the other side our day somehow turned to bar hopping. The last place we went to was a hidden prohibition bar, Palmer Co, with some of the best drink I’ve ever had.

On other weekends me and my boyfriend have been to Newcastle a few times, hiking in Blue Mountains and enjoying sunshine and the days off in Sydney. My favourite part about our visits to Newcastle is going to Nelson Bay which is about 40 minutes south of Newcastle. Nelson Bay is first of the three waterside villages that sre located side by side. What we usually do is go to Fingal Bay to enjoy the beach, to Shoal Bay to enjoy great views and fresh ocean breeze, or to Nelson Bay to have lunch at one of the waterside cafes.

In Shoal Bay, there’s a national park called Tomaree National Park. It’s quite a small area but very nice for a quick and easy day trip. The summit walk is the thing to do there but if you want to enjoy a bit more quiet beach compared to the others in the Nelson Bay area, head to Zenith Beach, Wreck Beach or Box Beach. I would really love to go camping on one of these beaches in the summer.

I really can’t wait for summer and warmer and longer days. It’s still pitch-dark at 6pm so I’m looking forward to sunny evenings when there’s more to do on weekdays after work as well. In couple of weeks we are going to Blue Mountains again to stay a night in a cabin to celebrate our postponed second anniversary. I just love to get away from the city and go to smaller places to enjoy the peacefulness and fresh air. I’m also soon coming to an end with my first 6 month job contract and can start stressing about finding new work, yay! 😀

Why is it so difficult to stay present and enjoy the moment? We all are constantly thinking about the future, stressing about things we have to do or worrying about the past. And whenever we would have a chance to enjoy the moment, we probably think how that moment could be even better or what is missing.

I remember that a year ago I couldn’t wait to move to Australia. To move here was the thing I wanted the most and it was what I was thinking about all the time. And now that I am here? I’m constantly worrying about the future and about how to build a life and a career that I would really enjoy.

Before moving here I knew that it’s going to take some time before I find my place here. I knew that living in a big city like Sydney will be the best option in the beginning but not something that will fulfill my soul in a long run. I knew that I won’t have a big social circle or community around me here for a while. And I knew that my career won’t kickstart after migrating to a new country with only limited working rights in the beginning.

It was actually my sister who reminded me, when I was telling her about my feelings, that maybe I just need to accept where I am at the moment and stop comparing my life to the expectations I have. And just enjoy the moment.

Being young and ambitious, it’s sometimes difficult to be patient, accept things as they come and enjoy the present. But in order to enjoy the moment, patience and acceptance are what we need. Patience to know that your life is going to the right direction. And acceptance to be grateful for where you are at the moment.

But did you know that staying present is also a skill that you can work on? You don’t need to instantly find that zen in all the aspects of your life but rather gradually work towards that direction.

Here are my favourite things to do when I notice that my mind is all over the place and its difficult to be present.

Sports

For example going for a run always clears my head and focusing on one thing is much easier afterwards. However, lots of people do sports these days just to lose weight or punish themselves for eating unhealthily. To really get the best benefits of doing sports, try something you truly enjoy, or start learning something new. Learning new things is always fun and a good way to stay in a moment by focusing on one thing.

Being surrounded by nature

Nature is the best stress reliever, and its been proven so many times. Spending time outdoors in nature really reduces stress. To stay present, try mindfully listen to the sounds, explore your surroundings and focus on the things and colours you see around.

Finding the flow

Of course this is easier said than done but finding the flow is just the ultimate way to stay present. You can reach the flow state in anything you enjoy doing – reading, writing, cooking, painting, running, yoga, even cleaning. I personally love to do inversions and balance poses in yoga since you really need to focus and be in the moment to stay in the pose.

Meditation

Meditation even for a couple minutes can make a difference. Just focus on your breathing and come up with a mantra that you will repeat in your mind. For example repeat ”I choose to let go” in your mind and try to let go of any thoughts (especially the negative and stressful ones) in your mind.

To bear with the Sydney public transport, I’ve become a big fan of podcasts. I only found podcasts a few months ago, and at the moment I listen to them almost daily. They seem to be a trending thing all around the world so it’s easy to find good ones on so many different topics. I’m also wanting to start recording my own podcast at some point but at the moment it’s just an idea.

Anyways, I thought I could share my favourite ones with you. Maybe you already are listening to some of these but I’m happy if you find even one new podcast to try.

Interesting stories behind some of the best-known companies in the world. For example Joe Gebbia, the founder of Airbnb, tells Guy about his struggles trying to convince people that accommodating strangers in your home could actually be a business idea. My favourite episodes besides Airbnb are Instagram, Virgin and Lululemon Athletica.

A podcast I just recently discovered. It’s a feminist podcast about what happens when women “break the rules” and the hosts talk about issues that people very often stay silent about. My favourite episodes so far are “How to Break the Bronze Ceiling” and “How to Break the Silence”. The first one is about a monumental gender gap and the second one about domestic abuse, specifically about a case in Melbourne a few years ago.

A Finnish podcast about anything you would talk about over afterwork drinks. I’d say that this podcast is my personal favourite because it’s in Finnish and it’s hilarious. I also like the fact that the hosts do their research on the topics beforehand and sound like they know what they are talking about. My favourite episodes are “Introvertti vs. Ekstrovertti”, “Riikinkukko tunkiolla ja muita suomalaisia” and “Parisuhde 2.0”. I can’t wait for the ladies to get back from their summer holiday already.

Another hilarious podcast in Finnish, sorry! The name says it all, this podcast is nonsense. But it’s also about (quite) important things that we often don’t speak about out loud, especially in the public. “Veriviikot & terapian tarpeessa” and “Jättekiva, eller hur?” have been my faves so far.

Hope your weekend has been good! Mine certainly has, even though I’ve been fighting a starting flu for a few days now. Yesterday started with a 1,5 hour yoga session at my yoga studio. I just love Saturday mornings there – a long yoga work out is just the best way to start a relaxing weekend. The rest of the day was very quiet and spent at home watching football and enjoying good food and wine.

This morning my boyfriend cooked a delicious breakfast for me while I stayed in bed to read and relax. I don’t know what is going on in my body but every single muscle is aching today. That’s why I wanted to go on a long walk by the water to get rid off the stiffness and to move my body a little bit. It’s been so nice to not have any plans for this weekend and just take it easy. Especially because the next two weekends will be very hectic since my little sister is going to be here! Words can’t describe how excited and happy I am!! 🙂

Anyway, what I really wanted to write about today is meditation.

Meditation is something I never saw myself taking up. I’ve always been the one who’s rushing from one place to another, and who wouldn’t have time to waste on nonsense such as meditation. On top of that, I’ve always thought that the purpose of meditation is to sit quietly and uncomfortably until you get into a state where you don’t have any thoughts in your mind. Well how wrong was I.

In my latest posts I’ve talked about feeling very uprooted. There have been times when I’ve felt very lost and not having been able to live in the moment. Earlier I would have just ignored those feelings and waited for things to change. But now I know that what really helps me, is taking a moment for myself and listen to my own thoughts, or taking a moment for focusing on the positive thoughts.

So how do I meditate?

What works for me is a space as quiet and calm as possible without too many distractions. I usually start by closing my eyes and by deepening my breath. I try to really focus on my breath and take a moment in between every inhale and exhale. If my intention is to relief stress I will just focus on my breath to calm my mind and to be in the moment.

Lately I have noticed that I’ve been in quite a negative mindset so my intention has been to transform my mind from negative to more positive. How this happens is by actively focusing on the positive thoughts and gratitude.

I must admit that I still have a long way to go when it comes to meditation. My mind starts to easily thrift for a few minutes before I notice myself thinking and stressing about things I was supposed to leave for later. But I sure am getting better and better, and it’s getting easier for me to stay present.

Have you tried meditation and do you have some good techniques you’d like to share? 🙂

It’s been a while! Even though there’s absolutely no need to explain myself, I still want to. It’s been a while because I haven’t had any motivation, whatsoever, to write my blog. There have been moments during the past couple weeks when I’ve felt incredibly uprooted. In those moments nothing else helps as much as dedicating all the free time I have to things that make me feel like home and to alone time.

It’s quite ironic to reflect back on my thoughts in January and to this post. Even though I still love routines, I miss the time when I had a freedom to basically only do things I enjoyed. My life has changed so radically during the last few months that sometimes I just need a moment to myself, a moment to just reflect on everything. And it always works wonders.

Besides all these not-so-happy thoughts the last few weeks have actually been very good! Sydney is starting to feel like such a nice city the more I get a chance to explore it. There are so many things to do in the city and the surrounding areas every week. And of course, there are so many cafés and restaurants to try! The only thing I’d want to change at the moment is the season. I’m so over winter, especially after coming here from European winter.

Anyway, here are some highlights from the last month.

We visited Blue Mountains National Park and did a 3-hour hike in the canyon through a rainforest. The views up the top are amazing! And of course had to visit The Three Sisters lookout to take some photos.

I’ve dedicated lots more time to yoga in the weekends. It has become such an important part of my life and wellbeing, so the more I have time to do yoga, the better. I’ve also taken classes again at the yoga studio near by, and I’m starting to really learn handstands!

Even though it’s winter and quite cold, most of the days are still sunny. And we all know that sunshine is a cure for everything and that it increases happiness levels. So I of course want to enjoy the sun as much as I can, either by having lunch outside at work, or going on walks and picnics on the weekends.

Week ago we went to a Vivid Sydney cruise. Vivid Sydney is a light show event that goes on for almost a month and starts in the end of May. On the cruise we enjoyed the views through massive windows on a glass boat and had a nice three course dinner. It was a super nice experience, but not something I would pay for again in the near future.

And then let’s talk about good breakfasts! I love mornings, and I’m always going to be a morning person. And I love breakfasts. Personally, I can’t understand people who skip this meal because why on earth would you skip something so special?! My personal favourite is always avocado on toast or Eggs Benedict. For a while I’ve wanted to try Celcius Coffee and Co in Kirribilli, and last Sunday this dream was finally realised. And oh boy was it a good place for a Sunday brunch!

Two weeks ago we had a Sunday picnic in Wendy’s Secret Garden. It’s in such a good spot – even though you’re right in the city and have a view over Sydney Harbour, the garden is still nice and quiet. And because it’s starting to be a bit cooler here it wasn’t too busy either. The garden itself is massive and so beautiful, almost like a small rainforest! I can’t believe it’s been created and maintained by one lady alone.

Last weekend we were supposed to go hiking in a national park a few hours north from Sydney. The plans changed quickly when I found out it’s going to snow there! It was a freezing weekend so hiking changed to hot chocolates, warm blanket and movies. Now it’s back to 20 degrees and sunshine, which is nice but I still find it quite cold. It’s weird how in Finland I’d probably throw bikinis on in 20 degrees and here I wear a winter coat and woolen socks because it feels so cold. Must admit that I really miss summer!

This week has gone by super quickly! I have been doing Asana Rebel workouts more regularly again (really like their new update) and have had some nice things to look forward to! On Thursday I had some afterwork drinks with two friends and on Friday I met my boyfriend in Newtown for drinks and dinner. Newtown is definitely one of the most vibrant and trendiest suburbs in Sydney with lots of bars and (vegan) restaurants. I’m definitely looking forward to spending more time there and trying new places for food and drinks!

Yesterday we spent the night at our friends place watching the royal wedding and playing his own super fun card game called Bitcon which is going to be released soon. It’s becoming a tradition to eat well and enjoy good wine together, so he made us the most amazing vegetarian burgers. And what is wine without a cheese board and some Finnish chocolate? My mouth is still watering.

Plans for today are eating home made pizza and enjoying some sunshine. These days it’s pitch-black when I come home from work so I’m really trying to enjoy daylight and outdoors whenever I get a chance.